Combined shoeshine box and footrest



March 1, 1949. v. BOHNER COMBINED SHOESHINE BOX AND FOOT REST Filed Aug. 22,1947

MW W M T LEM-M Em :3 2 m. M in g w Wu; F Z j I: fl ww::-\ -F L I INVENTOR. VALENTINE BOHNER I ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED SHOESHINE BOX AND FOOTREST Valentine Bohner, Bronx, N. Y.

Application August 22, 1947, Serial No. 770,004

4 Claims. (Cl. -265) This invention relates to shoe polish kits or boxes in which are kept the equipment-such as brush, polish, rags, etc-for cleaning, blackening or polishing shoes, and which is implemented with a rest upon which the foot of the user may be placed to facilitate the shoe-polishing operation.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro vide a shoe polish kit of the character described which will be extremely simple in the number of parts and also in operation, which will be compact and inexpensive to produce, and which will present a neat appearance. A further object is to provide a shoe polish kit which can be quickly converted from its normal closed condition to an open or operative condition in which it serves as a shoe-shine stand, and vice versa.

For the attainment of the foregoing and such other objects of invention as may appear or be pointed out herein, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved kit in its closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, with the lid pulled a slight extent to the left, in the first step in opening the kit and/or converting it into a shoe-shine stand;

Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the lid turned 180, in the second step of the conversion started in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is likewise a similar side view but showing the 180 turned lid (of Fig. 3) moved leftwardly to lock it in operative condition to present the shoe rest for use;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the improved kit in operative condition, with the shoe rest at top thereof, ready for use; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The improved kit is conveniently in the form of a small wooden box, Fig. 1, formed from a pair of side pieces l0, II, a pair of end pieces l2, l3 and a bottom piece [4, joined together to form an open container. The height of the end pieces l2, 3 is somewhat less than that of the side pieces i0, H, see Fig. 1, to present the top edges IZ I3 of the end pieces, respectively l2, l3, sufficiently below the top edges of side pieces H), II to provide clearance for a lid 20. The thickness of lid is such that, when resting on top ledges 12*, I3", the top surface of the lid is substantially flush with the top surfaces of the side pieces [0, H.

Lid 20 isoperatively connected or associated with the open container by means of a pair of headed pins, nails, screws or the like 26, 21, see

' Fig. 6, projecting outwardly from the side edges of the lid. Pins 23, 21 clear through long slots It, I! in the respective side pieces H), II. Slots l6, IT are disposed in the upper portions of side pieces In, H and, more particularly, in the por- 2 tions thereof above the top ledge I2 of end piece I2, Fig. 6, and the top ledge [3* of the other end piece l3. Slots l6, I! extend for a considerable portion of the length of the container, as best shown in Fig. 1 with reference to slot iii of side piece It. Pins 26, 2'! may have washers, respectively 26', 21, Figs, 6 and 1. Instead of a separate pin at each end of the lid, a single long pin or rod may be used extending through the lid and projecting from both sides thereof.

In the closed position of lid 20, as in Fig. 1, its pin 26 which appears in this figure (and pin 21 which is not seen) are at the right ends of their respective slots l6 (seen in Fig. 1) and I! (not seen). Lid 20 has a handle 2| which is used in transporting the kit and which may also be used in opening the kit and/or converting it into a shoe-shine stand. If the kit were lifted by its strap or handle 2|, there would be a, tendency to slightly tilt lid 20 upwardly on its pivoted connection to the container at pins 26, 21. To avoid this there is provided a second connection between lid 20 and the container, in addition to the pivoted connection at the right constituted by pins 26, 21. This second connection at the left end of the lid comprises a pair of short pins 28, 29 projecting from the sides of lid 20 close to the left end thereof, which are receivable in short grooves respectively, [8, I9 provided in the side pieces If], It and opening at the left end thereof, Fig. 1. In the closed position of lid 20, its pair of short pins 28, 29 are received in their respective grooves l8, l9. Hence when the kit is lifted by its handle 2|, the load thereof is substantially equally distributed at the left short pins 28, 29 and at the right, pivotal pins 26, 21.

To open the kit and/or convert it intoa shoeshine stand, lid 20 is moved slightly to the left as shown in Fig. 2, the leftward movement being indicated by the arrow. This leftward lid movement causes the short pins 28 (see Fig. 2) and the other pin 29 (not seen in Fig. 2) to be withdrawn from their respective grooves I8 (Fig. 2) and'IS. Its left pins 28, 29 having been withdrawn from container grooves I 8, l9 lid 20 may then be turned upon its right pivotal pins 26, 21 in the clock wise direction as shown in Fig. 3, this clockwise lid turning being indicated by the two arcuate arrows shown in Fig. 3. Upon being turned in this manner, the right end of lid 20 extends rightwardly of the container, as is shown in Fig. 3.

If it is desired merely to gain access into the interior of the kit, lid 20, Fig. 3 is simply moved rightwardly a sufficient extent to provide the desired opening between the left end piece l2 and the left end, Fig. 3, of the lid. If it is desired to convert the kit into a shoe-shine stand, the lid 20 is moved leftwardly to lock it in place, as will be described. But first it should be stated that, whereas strap or handle 2| is secured to lid, so that, when the lid is moved to itheleft'in the first step in opening the kit and/or converting it into a stand, portion 22* will'abut'the 'left end piece l2 of the container as in Fig. 2. This abutment indicates to the user that the lid has been moved sufficiently to the left; whereat it is turned as in Fig. 3.

The right end of side pieces i0, H of thecontainer are provided with grooves similar to those (18, 19) at the left ends. Similarly, the right grooves 18X and WK open. at the right end of the container. When the lid 20, Fig. 3, is moved to the left to convert the kit into a shoe-shine stand, its short pin 28, Fig. 3 (and pin 29, Fig. 5) enter the grooves, respectively i8X and 19X.

To prevent the lid from moving when the converted shoe-stand is being used, I have provided the following means for firmly locking the lid to the container: At'its left end, slot 56 has a short downwardly directed extension I5, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and the companion slot 1'! (not shown in these figures) has a similar downwardly directed extension. When lid 2-0 is moved to the left to convert the kit into a stand, as in Fig. 4, its pin 23, Fig. 4 (and its other pin 21, not seen in Fig. 4) drop into the downward extensions at the left end of the slots. In this position of pins 25, 21, the lid is held against movement. To allow pins '26, -27 todrop into slot extensions 15, the left end (Fig. 4) of the surface of lid 29 is notched, indicated at 25 (see also Fig. 1 where notch 25 is now at the right end since the lid in Fig. 1 is turned 180 from its position in Fig. 4.)

I claim:

1. A shoe-shine kit convertible into a stand, comprising an open container anda lid, said container comprising a pair of side pieces and a pair of end pieces, said pair of end pieces being shorter than the side pieces a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said lid whereby a, closed kit is presented with a subs'tantially flush top, said pair of side pieces having long parallel slots near the tops thereof and said lid having a pair of headed pins projecting from the side edges thereof and receivable in said slots, said pair of headed pins being disposed near one end of the lid and-stopped by that end of the slots when the lid is in closed position, said pair of side pieces having a short, inwardly facing groove opening at each end thereof and said lid having at its end opposite the first-mentioned end, a pair of short pins projecting from the sides thereof, said pair of short pins being received, when thelid is in said closed position, in the grooves at that end of the side pieces, a handle secured. to the top surface of the lid when in said closed position whereby the kit is lifted with the load distributed both at said pair of headed pins and said pair of short pins,-' and a shoe rest s'ecuredto the underside of the lid, said shoe rest being concealed when the lid is in said closed position and exposed at the top of the container when the lid is turned 180 on its said pair of "headed pins to convert the kit into a shoe-shine stand, the said short pins of the lid being received in said converted position thereof in the grooves at the other end of the side pieces.

2. A shoe-shine kit convertible into a stand, comprising an open containeraridiallid-said containerr'com-pr'ising pair ofside pieces and a pair of end pieces, said pair of end pieces being shorter than the side pieces a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said lid whereby a closed kit is presented with a sub- %.stantially flush top, said pair of side pieces having long parallel slots near the tops thereof and 'said' lid having headed projections extendingfrom the side edges thereof and receivable in said slots, said headed projections being disposed near one end of the lid and stopped by that end of the slots when the lid is in closed position, said pair of side pieces having a short, inwardly facing groove opening at each end thereof and said lid having at its end opposite the first-mentioned end, short projections extending from the sides thereof, said short projections being received, when the lid is in said closed position, in the grooves at that end of "the side pieces, a handle secured to the top surface of the lid when in said closed position whereby the kit is lifted with the load distributed both at said pair of headed projections and said pair of short projections and a shoe rest secured to the underside of the lid, said shoe rest being concealed when the lid is insaid closedposition and exposed at the top of the container when the lid is turned on its said headed projections to convert the kit into a shoe-shine stand, the said short projections of the lid being received in said converted position thereof in the grooves at the other end of the side pieces.

3. The shoe-shine kit according to claim 2 wherein each of said pair of slots'is provided with a short downwardly-directed extension at the ends thereof oppositethe said oneend of the-lid, and wherein the upper surface of the lid when in said closed position isprovided at its saidone end with a recess, whereby said projections drop into said slot extensions when the 'lid is turned 180 as aforesaid and moved into closing relation to the-container.

4.' The shoe-shine '"kit according to claim 2 wherein the said shoe rest is spaced 2. predetermined distance from the end of the lid so that the shoe rest will abut the end p'ieceof-the container when the lid is 'moved forwardly a sufficient amount for the said short projections to be withdrawn from the grooves and the other end of the lid is clear of the top ledge o'fthe other end piece.

VALENTINE BClI-INER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 598,685 Thorp Feb. 8, 1898 1,014,831 Long Jan.'16, 1912 1,621,787 Johnson Mar/22,7192? 2,115,239 Strain 'Apr. 26, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 96,321 Austria lVIar. 10,1924 296,258 Britain Aug.'30, 1928 750,674 France "-May 29,1933 

